Diplomat to Conduct Interviews for American Pharmacists Month

FLINT, Mich., Oct. 24, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Diplomat Pharmacy, Inc. (NYSE: DPLO) will host a "Diplomat Dialogue" Q&A series taking a closer look at specialty pharmacy and the role of pharmacists in honor of American Ph­­­armacists Month.

In the series of video vignettes, Diplomat is teaming up with industry leaders to ideate and educate industry members and patients on the unique role of pharmacists in specialty, their skillset, and their personal approach to patient care. The goal of the initiative is to identify ways they can act as resources for the patients they serve. It's the industry coming together to help supplement and plan the future of specialty care.

The sessions will feature Gary Rice, Diplomat's senior vice president of Clinical Services, Education, and Human Resources; Thomas Menighan, executive vice president and chief executive officer of the American Pharmacists Association; Micaila Ruiz, chief pharmacy officer of Amber Pharmacy; and Burt Zweigenhaft, board member and president of the National Association of Specialty Pharmacy.

"We are excited to partner with such industry leaders as we highlight pharmacists in specialty and recognize the role they have in taking care of patients each day," Rice said. "With the expanding role of pharmacists, it is important for us to show our appreciation and their benefit to the health care system."

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, there is a projected shortage of between 61,700 and 94,700 physicians by 2025, largely attributed to an expanding Medicare population and limits on support for physician training. This shortage will be particularly acute in specialty conditions.

"Specialty pharmacies play a pivotal role in the lives of patients with chronic, complex conditions. This role extends far beyond simply dispensing medication," Ruiz said. "As therapies become more complex and we face a physician shortage—particularly in specialty conditions—the specialty pharmacy industry and specialty pharmacist are perfectly positioned to help. They offer the clinical expertise and training to help fill the gaps and supplement the care of patients with specialty conditions."

Specialty pharmacies are a quickly growing component of the health care ecosystem, providing services, support, and solutions for patients with chronic and complex conditions such as cancer, autoimmune diseases, blood disorders, and rare diseases.

"The delivery of pharmacy care is getting more complex with the new specialty pharmaceutical technology and disease knowledge we have today. Pharmacists in specialty who continue to push the boundaries of care are the thought leaders of tomorrow that we need to recognize for their commitment to patients and value based quality care," Zweigenhaft said.

"A specialty pharmacy serves the nation's most critically ill patients," Menighan said. "Partnering with Diplomat to create this dialogue is a new way for us to bring patients and professionals together, listen to these stories, and find insight for us all."

To sign up to view the Diplomat Dialogue Q&A series, visit diplomat.is/diplomat-dialogues/.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements give current expectations or forecasts of future events or our future financial or operating performance. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on management's good-faith belief and reasonable judgment based on current information. These statements are qualified by important risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those forecasted or indicated by such forward-looking statements. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, you should review Diplomat's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including "Risk Factors" in Diplomat's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 and in subsequent reports filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as may be required by any applicable laws, Diplomat assumes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements, which are made as of the date hereof or the earlier date specified herein, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

About Diplomat

Diplomat (NYSE: DPLO) serves patients and physicians in all 50 states. Headquartered in Flint, Michigan, the company focuses on medication management programs for people with complex chronic diseases, including oncology, immunology, hepatitis, multiple sclerosis, specialized infusion therapy and many other serious or long-term conditions. Diplomat opened its doors in 1975 as a neighborhood pharmacy with one essential tenet: "Take good care of patients and the rest falls into place." Today, that tradition continues—always focused on improving patient care and clinical adherence. For more information, visit diplomat.is.

About Amber Pharmacy

Amber Pharmacy is a pioneer in the specialty pharmacy industry with nearly 20 years of experience providing specialized care for patients with chronic, complex conditions. Amber has built an outstanding reputation by taking the time to understand each client's needs and providing personalized support and quality clinical care. This thorough approach helps support the medical, emotional, financial, and administrative needs of patients. For more information, visit amberpharmacy.com.

About the American Pharmacists Association

The American Pharmacists Association (APhA), founded in 1852 as the American Pharmaceutical Association, is a 501(c)(6) organization representing more than 63,000 practicing pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists, student pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and others interested in advancing the profession. The APhA, dedicated to helping all pharmacists improve medication use and advance patient care, is the first-established and largest association of pharmacists in the United States. For more information, visit pharmacist.com.

About the National Association of Specialty Pharmacy

The National Association of Specialty Pharmacy (NASP) is a 501(c)(6) trade association representing all stakeholders in the specialty pharmacy industry. Our members include the nation's leading specialty pharmacies, pharmaceutical and biotechnology manufacturers, group purchasing organizations, distributors, and more. With 71 corporate members and 1,200 individuals, NASP is the unified voice of specialty pharmacy in the United States. NASP is dedicated to education, national policy advocacy, and engagement of all stakeholders in the specialty pharmacy industry. For more information, visit naspnet.org.

CONTACT:
Kali Lucas, Public Relations Specialist
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SOURCE Diplomat Pharmacy, Inc.

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